Mary Ruby Simbro

Mary Ruby Simbro, 76, of Reasnor, died Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2021, at her home. A funeral service will begin at 1 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 9 at the Wallace Family Funeral Home and Crematory. The family will greet friends from 5 to 7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 8 at the funeral home. Masks will be required and social distancing will be enforced. Memorials to the Reasnor Fire Department or the Reasnor Park Fund may be left at the funeral home.

Mary, the daughter of John M. and Ruby Dora (Marshall) Slykhuis, was born Feb. 18, 1944, in Knoxville. As a young girl, her family lived at Red Rock before moving to Monroe. Mary graduated from Monroe High School in 1962. On Oct. 5, 1962, Mary was united in marriage with Bernard Simbro in Monroe. They lived in Newton for a short time before making their home in Reasnor. Mary cleaned homes for 44 years, retiring in 2020. She was a member of the Reasnor United Methodist Church and was on the founding board of the Jasper County Animal Rescue League.  Mary loved flower gardening and baking. She was known in the area for her Christmas treats and candy and her famous Halloween popcorn balls. Mary also cleaned at the church for many years and lovingly decorated there for the different seasons, including picking flowers from her own garden to put in the entryway. Most importantly though Mary was a doting grandmother.

Mary is survived by her children, Stacy (Dana) Simbro of Newton, Tresa (Robert) Miller of Newton and Marcy (Steve) Woodhouse of Reasnor; grandchildren, Elizabeth Simbro and Sean Simbro; sister, Martha (Jim) Atteberry of Pella; brother-in-law, Elbert Van Gorp of Pella; and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Bernard; sister, Shirley Van Gorp; brother, John Slykhuis; brother and sister-in-law, Clifford and Pat Simbro; and sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Coralee and Eldon Marshall.